The GNX cross-breeding program is a guarantee of high performance at a commercial farm level

Significant difference between elite and commercial farms

Breeding companies take their selection decisions based on data collected at their own elite farms. However, animals demonstrating optimum performance in the environment with a high health level would not necessarily do so in the conditions of a commercial farm.

Nucleus (elite farms)

Possibility of fully unlocking each pig’s potential, due to care of the animals’ health and special attention of the personnel.

Commercial farms

Focus on reducing the cost of production of 1 kg meat. Individual approach to each animal is impossible, and the health status is not always high.

Solution: the cross-breeding program to provide high performance at commercial farms

In 2003 PIC launched GNX program for cross-breeding of nucleus boars at commercial farms. The program involves collecting data at a commercial farm level, in order to increase accuracy of the selection decisions taken at a nucleus level.

We select animals that demonstrate good performance both at elite and at commercial farms. The breeding animals’ genetic potential is transferred to producers, to improve their results.

GNX program stages

Introduction of a young boar into the Gene Transfer Center

for further production of purebred animals

Using the breeding boar semen for insemination of sows

at the commercial farms participating in GNX program

Individual identification of the produced market pigs

~ 2 000 heads

Monitoring of mortality, defects, culling figures and other parameters of piglets

Additional assessment for meat yield and meat quality after slaughter

Comparison and combination of the obtained data

with those collected at breeding farms as part of prognostic genetic models

Assignment of an index to the boar breeding offspring

based on a set of data, including growth, robustness, pH, IMF, meat tenderness

Introduction of a young boar into the Gene Transfer Center

for further production of purebred animals

Using the breeding boar semen for insemination of sows

at the commercial farms participating in GNX program

Individual identification of the produced market pigs

~ 2 000 heads

Monitoring of mortality, defects, culling figures and other parameters of piglets

Additional assessment for meat yield and meat quality after slaughter

Comparison and combination of the obtained data

with those collected at breeding farms as part of prognostic genetic models

Assignment of an index to the boar breeding offspring

based on a set of data, including growth, robustness, pH, IMF, meat tenderness

Goals of the program

The GNX program is aimed at increasing the value not only on a farm level. We want producers to get high-quality meat, therefore we measure the following parameters of the offspring:

Lean meat yield

- in-bone primal yields (main cuts’ weight)
- yield of main boneless cuts (primal cuts’ weight)

Quality of meat for processing

- pH 24 hours after slaughter
- muscular tissue color
- intramuscular fat

Consumer properties

- texture tenderness (Warner-Bratzler shear force)

The GNX cross-breeding program is a guarantee of high performance at a commercial farm level

Genetics that provides maximum results at commercial farms

Genetic potential calculated in real conditions

Selection for robustness and carcass value, based on the data from commercial farms

Genetic potential calculated in real conditions

Significant difference between elite and commercial farms

Nucleus (elite farms)

Commercial farms

Solution: the cross-breeding program to provide high performance at commercial farms

GNX program stages

Introduction of a young boar into the Gene Transfer Center

Using the breeding boar semen for insemination of sows

Individual identification of the produced market pigs

Monitoring of mortality, defects, culling figures and other parameters of piglets

Comparison and combination of the obtained data

Assignment of an index to the boar breeding offspring

Introduction of a young boar into the Gene Transfer Center

Using the breeding boar semen for insemination of sows

Individual identification of the produced market pigs

Monitoring of mortality, defects, culling figures and other parameters of piglets

Comparison and combination of the obtained data

Assignment of an index to the boar breeding offspring

Goals of the program

Lean meat yield

Quality of meat for processing

Consumer properties